Speaking from Experience

About Us

Speaking from Experience

At Tyler, we have an insider’s understanding of how to build, install, train and maintain solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the public sector. How?

Many of our employees — from sales to development to implementation — have worked in public sector offices and school districts just like yours. Our software and service solutions are developed based on client feedback and our employees’ first-hand knowledge of what you do on a day-to-day basis. Because no one knows the public sector better than current and former local, county and state government and school employees.

Amy Puckett

Office: Plano, Texas

Years with Tyler: 23

Current Position: Senior Product Director, Courts & Justice Solutions

Public Sector Experience: Amy’s public sector background began at the Collin County Tax Office, where she worked for nearly two years. In that role, she processed tax payments in the tax collection division and vehicle registrations/title transfers in the motor vehicle division. Later, she served as an emergency dispatcher and detention officer at the Denton County Sheriff’s Office for three years.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user?“I used what is now referred to as the TSG legacy Sheriff product while working at the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, primarily entering and updating warrants, civil papers and arrests.”

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“Because I was using the legacy Sheriff product and finishing up my MIS (Management Information Systems) degree, I thought that I might be able to merge my computer skills with my hands-on criminal justice experience. I applied for a support position, not really knowing what that meant, got it and have pretty much been here ever since. I left to work for a different software company for 18 months, but ran back as fast as I could. I wanted to be at this company and I found that I missed the courts and justice domain.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“Although processes differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, many of the concepts are the same. Because I have actually lived and worked some of those processes, I can quickly relate to our clients. I guess you can say that I speak their language.”

Bob Kolysher

Office: Plano, Texas

Years with Tyler: 4

Current Position: Product Owner, Courts & Justice Solutions

Public Sector Experience: Product Owner, Courts & Justice Solutions

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user?"I carried out research for a paroling authority, worked as a correctional officer in two jails and performed link analysis for a law enforcement agency, which meant completing investigations related to gang infiltration of legitimate businesses. Following this, I worked for 25 years at a company that designed, developed and implemented offender management software in major corrections jurisdictions throughout the world, including England; the Province of Ontario (Canada); New South Wales (Australia); the states of New Jersey, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Oregon and Connecticut; and many county sheriff's departments, such as Los Angeles County (CA), Clark County (NV), Mecklenburg County (NC), Gwinnett County (GA), Denver (CO), Erie County (NY) and Westchester County (NY). I have also visited jailing authorities in Norway, Finland, Israel, Cyprus and Venezuela. After leaving my former company, I became aware of the innovative work that Tyler Technologies was doing in the areas of courts and criminal justice software systems. Tyler was in the process of expanding their jail offering (Jail Manager) and this provided me with an opportunity to become part of this exciting and challenging project."

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler's clients?"Having worked in the field of corrections for a considerable period of time, I have an understanding of how a well designed, properly developed and efficiently implemented software system can assist end users in meeting their short-term (daily) and long-term (weekly, monthly, annual) needs. These experiences have provided me with a well rounded "best practices" view of what software works and what doesn't work for each of these types of agencies."

Public Sector Experience: Brock began his public sector career in 1979 at the Recording Office for Boulder County, Colorado. He soon went on to manage the County’s Land Records Office for 16 years.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user? “Boulder County purchased Tyler’s recording product CRIS+plusin 1996, with an installation in early 1997.”

How did you make the transition to Tyler? “I had known the president of Tyler’s then Eagle Division, David Kunkel, for many years, having met him at conferences and state meetings while working in Boulder County’s Recording Office. In 1998 I was offered a job with the Tyler’s Eagle Division. When I began working in the Eagle office, I traveled primarily to client sites to assist with installations. I did a little bit of everything during my first years at the company. Later on I helped form the first sales team within the Eagle Division.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients? “Understanding the client experience is invaluable. I have been to hundreds of county land record offices in my life, both prior to joining Tyler and after joining Tyler. I am very familiar with the operations, statutory requirements and state initiatives that affect our clients. In many cases, I have met the elected official and key staff members, so it is easy for me to communicate with them on an on-going basis. I recognize that each official has a different viewpoint and persona that affects his decisions. I’m now able to reflect on how clients use the software and appreciate the reasons behind their development requests.”

Donna Martindale, CPA

Office: Lubbock, Texas

Years with Tyler: 16

Current Position: Director of Implementation, Incode Solutions

Public Sector & Tyler Product Experience: Donna has experienced just about every side of our financial software — from user, to independent auditor, and consultant, to Tyler support, implementation and training.

She began her public sector career as finance director for Harker Heights, Texas — the seventh client of Tyler’s Incode solution. As a result, Donna was one of the first users of the product. Later, she became the finance director for Angleton, Texas, where she also used Incode.

After leaving Angleton, Donna began working for a financial firm conducting audits for cities in Texas. It was soon obvious that many of the cities she was auditing were also Incode users. Eventually, Donna opened her own consulting company, specifically focusing on getting clients ready for implementing Incode software.

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“When asked why I left local government, I tell people, I left the politics. Now, it’s so cool — I’m able to hand off a tool to our customers that empowers them to make a real change in their city.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“I sit with a client and can relate to them. I can tell them ‘I did your job.’”

Public Sector Experience: Jeff’s public sector experience includes six years as a law enforcement officer. He also served as a county project manager.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user?“I coordinated the original installation of Tyler’s software on behalf of my county. I was the point of contract for Tyler’s project team and was impressed with the quality of their people, and their personal interest in making our project successful.”

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“After I left the county, I came to Tyler initially as a support and implementation specialist. I transitioned into project management and then software development, where I formed the team that built Odyssey.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“Our clients appreciate interactions where they can relate to the Tyler team as colleagues rather than consultants or vendors. I understand what it’s like within local government to champion, lead and coordinate a massive technology project. Our clients have entrusted Tyler with highly visible and mission-critical projects, and in some cases, have put their careers on the line. I’ve had many clients and prospects comment that we seem to know their business as well as we know our solutions. That’s an incredibly powerful combination, and I think it gives clients great confidence when they know that ‘Tyler gets it.’”

Public Sector Experience: John’s experience working in the public sector began in 1988 as management information systems director for the City of Lowell, Massachusetts. In October of 1995, John left to work for the Town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts where he had the rare opportunity to design a town-wide information system from the ground up. John stayed with the Town until 1999 when he was recruited by James Hurley, vice president of sales, to work for Tyler as a utility billing project manager.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user? “As IT director for the Town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, I oversaw the selection and implementation of Munis. This afforded me with an intimate knowledge of the data structures and process flows of the product. Post-implementation, I provided front-line user support and system management for a community of approximately 50 users.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients? “Local government is not retail, health care or manufacturing. It has a nomenclature, as well as process flows, that are unique and very often not transferrable from other industries. My ability to be productive with a client from moment one is the greatest benefit derived from my public sector experience.”

Public Sector Experience: Prior to Tyler, Johnnie worked as a consultant in large urban area courts such as the City of Houston, the City of Atlanta and in Florida. He has also worked for a variety of agencies that support the public sector including the National Guard and various other state and federal agencies.

How did you make the transition to Tyler? “I researched the top technology companies including those providing technology solutions to the courts and justice arena and Tyler rose to the top of my list. I was originally recruited by an employee I had worked with in the past to interview with Tyler at the same time I was looking. My first position with Tyler was as a project manager.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“At the end of the day, there’s simply no substitute for this experience. To me, what we do is a lot more than just delivering software—it’s about bringing value to courts and justice offices and the people they serve through the experience and firsthand knowledge we have gained over the years.”

Public Sector Experience: Prior to joining Tyler, Ken gained public sector experience by working as a detention officer, deputy sheriff and police officer.

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“I left the Sheriff’s Office, even though I loved that job, for a technology company to pursue a career using my talent for helping users adapt to new technology. However, the company never really felt like home. I left law enforcement, which is a tight-knit group, for a technology company that was cold and didn’t have a good understanding of the industry or the culture at clients’ offices. When Tyler found me and I interviewed, I knew from the moment I walked in the door that Tyler was different. I felt at home right away. Transitioning to Tyler felt like coming home to a Sheriff’s Office. I feel the culture here is very similar to the culture I had in law enforcement. It was easy for me to feel at home with Tyler because its employees really care about the jobs they do and the benefits they provide to their clients.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“My work experience in the public sector gives me a unique perspective. I understand what clients are going through because I’ve been in their shoes. I’ve participated in technology upgrades as a user and I’ve seen how difficult it can be. I find myself driven to work in this industry to help users adapt from their old system into a new system easily. It’s a tough job working in the public sector. I understand that tough job and want to do what I can to make our clients lives better. Within Tyler, I bring my experience and perspective as well as the client’s perspective to our folks that haven’t been in a client’s shoes. I am affecting change at the initial discussion of features within our products. I help explain and show other Tyler folks what a client is really going through and give them a glimpse into what it takes to do their job. This gives our software developers a place to bounce their ideas off and get the opinion of an experienced client. To our clients when I’m working with them I can relate to them and I’m able to explain how our products will benefit them. I help them answer the question: what will this do for me?”

Larry Frazier

Office: Falmouth, Maine

Years with Tyler: 7

Current Position: Implementation Analyst, School Solutions

Public Sector Experience: Larry spent more than 30 years working in the K-12 school environment, beginning as a fifth grade teacher in Bethel, Connecticut before moving to Maine in 1975. He served as K-8 principal first in Lamoine and then Woolwich, Maine before holding the position of elementary principal and K-12 technology coordinator in Yarmouth, Maine for 20 years.

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“After a recommendation from a fellow educator who had retired to work for Tyler’s School Solutions, I seriously considered accepting a position at Tyler when one was offered. After looking at Tyler’s student information system in 2007, I decided that it was a product with great potential and one that I could help grow into a state-of-the-art solution.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“As a former principal and district technology coordinator, I understand how schools work and how a quality school information system can be used to improve teaching and learning by providing accurate, timely information to students, parents, teachers and administrators, allowing them to make data driven decisions. My experience makes it easier for me to help school districts use our school solutions to work more efficiently.”

Public Sector Experience: Mandy’s first taste of public sector work was in public safety computer aided dispatching. After completing training at the police academy, she became an officer at the Southern Methodist University campus, and later the Frisco, Texas Police Department.

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“I immediately loved the products from Tyler because of the ease of use. Many of the RMS and CAD products I had used previously were cumbersome and hard to learn, but Tyler’s products were user friendly and an easy transition for me.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“I believe that my experience in law enforcement helps me tremendously when I am doing a demo of our product to police departments. The ability to speak police lingo and present our product in a relative and simple way allows a police department to see how Tyler’s law enforcement products simplify their daily work. As a current police officer, I believe that I am able to relate the officers and administration I am presenting to, which builds rapport with potential clients.”

Public Sector Experience: Melissa began working in municipal government at the age of 16 in the Putnam tax collector’s office during the summers. After college, Melissa worked for the Town of Colchester, Connecticut as a clerk in both the assessor’s and collector’s offices. She later became the assessor for the Town of Brooklyn and then deputy assessor for the Town of Killingly, both in Connecticut.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user? “While working as deputy assessor in Killingly, I used Tyler’s Univers CAMA system.”

How did you make the transition to Tyler? “A Tyler recruiter called me who I knew from working in the Putnam tax collector’s office. I was hired as a residential reviewer for Tyler (then CLT). I had told Genie Flynn (appraisal operations manager) that the perfect job for me was one that kept me busy and challenged every day — and working for Tyler has certainly lived up to that expectation.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“My experience allows me to better understand the demands on our clients. I’ve felt the pressure of meeting the deadline for producing the annual grand list and know all the effort that process takes, beyond what we as real estate appraisers are exposed to. I have also experienced the political environment in which our clients work, so I can recognize this as an aspect of the job that I have to take into consideration. Most importantly, I know how it feels to have a taxpayer before me disputing or questioning an assessment. I keep those memories in the back of my mind always to remind me of how it feels to be in their shoes — this motivates me to do the best job I can for every client, providing them with values they will be able to explain and defend after I leave.”

Public Sector Experience: Rita has been involved with the property tax field since 1973, including positions with Dekalb County, Georgia as deputy tax commissioner, appraisal auditor and software project manager; as county digest supervisor for the Georgia Department of Revenue; and as chief appraiser for the Cherokee, Georgia Board of Assessors. Rita also served as vice chairman of the Board of Assessors for Fulton County (Atlanta), Georgia.

What experience did you have with Tyler products as a user?“As a user I had worked with Tyler’s OASIS appraisal software system (the predecessor of iasWorld) and always found Tyler employees to be responsive and knowledgeable.”

How did you make the transition to Tyler?“After working with OASIS for so many years, when an opportunity presented itself to be a part of the first IAS system installed in Georgia for Cobb County, I wanted to participate. So I joined the Tyler team in 1999 and have been with the company ever since.”

How does your public sector experience benefit Tyler’s clients?“Having 25 years of public sector experience working in various sizes of government (including at the state level) gives me a great understanding of what our clients have to do to perform their jobs. This helps a lot, especially during the initial GAP analysis process, enabling me to ask more intuitive questions about what the client’s needs are and to give ideas when appropriate on how the system can help improve their business processes.”